SWISSto12, a provider of satellite systems and RF technologies, closed 2025 with several operational and organizational developments as it continued expanding its global presence. The company advanced its satellite communications and RF product lines while increasing activity across its facilities in Europe and the United States.
Industry Recognition and Technical Progress Across HummingSat and RF Lines
The year began at SATELLITE 2025 in Washington D.C., where CEO Dr. Emile de Rijk received the Satellite Executive of the Year award.
During 2025, the company continued development of its HummingSat GEO satellite line and related RF technologies. Notable progress was recorded on the first four HummingSat satellites ordered by SES under the IS-45 program and by Viasat under the I-8 program. Both programs are preparing for Critical Design Review in early 2026, along with the start of assembly, integration, and testing of initial IS-45 flight hardware.
In the first quarter, HummingSat was selected by Astrum Mobile for NEASTAR-1, described as the Asia-Pacific region’s first GEO satellite-to-device platform. Designed to support media delivery, datacasting, IoT connectivity, mass notification, and emergency communication, the satellite passed its Preliminary Design Review in September.
SWISSto12 also advanced its electronically steered antenna roadmap for upcoming HummingSat missions and for integration into SATCOM terminals and satellites in LEO, MEO, and GEO. The company reported successful demonstrations of its phased-array technology in operational environments. SWISSto12 also introduced the HummingLink-SOTP, a portable user terminal designed for continuous GEO connectivity. The ultra-light unit uses the company’s 3D printed RF technology and is offered in Ka-, Ku-, and X-band versions.
Global Expansion and Organizational Updates
The company expanded its international footprint with the opening of a new engineering and development site in Madrid, Spain, announced in September. The location is intended to support satellite and user terminal programs and provide proximity to regional partners and customers. In the United States, SWISSto12 upgraded mission-control capabilities at its Georgia Command and Control Center ahead of planned HummingSat GEO SmallSat launches in 2027, including support for digital-twin testing and electric orbit-raising operations.
Financially, SWISSto12 reported revenue growth of more than 40% in 2025 and a 38% increase in its global workforce. The company also made additions to its leadership team: Steve Collar, former CEO of SES, was appointed Chairman of the Board, and SATCOM executive Fredrik Gustavsson joined as Chief Financial & Strategy Officer.
“By expanding our teams and product innovations worldwide, we are empowering our customers with agile satellite solutions and meeting the increasing demand for satellite sovereignty. SWISSto12’s innovations in GEO small satellites, RF technologies, and ground systems are enabling agile, secure communications that operators, organizations and nation states can rely on, no matter their location. We’re excited to accelerate this momentum in 2026,” said Emile de Rijk, CEO and co-founder of SWISSto12.
3D Printing in Satellite Production
As SWISSto12 continues to apply its proprietary 3D printed RF technologies across satellites and ground systems, similar advances are shaping the wider space sector.
Sidus Space’s LizzieSat program, developed with Markforged, incorporates 3D printed parts into aerospace-grade satellite structures to reduce mass while meeting required strength and reliability standards. Components printed in Onyx FRA demonstrated stable mechanical performance after long-term exposure on the International Space Station. LizzieSat is designed to provide real-time geospatial intelligence and can carry a variety of sensors. The first satellite containing hardware manufactured flew on SpaceX’s Transporter-9 mission.
In 2023, the French space agency CNES adopted INTAMSYS AM systems to streamline satellite assembly and testing. High-temperature FFF platforms such as the FUNMAT PRO 610HT and 410 allow the agency to produce tooling in materials like PEEK and ULTEM 9085 directly on site. These printed components support clean-room operations and vacuum-chamber testing, and enabled the fabrication of a full-scale stratospheric drone structure qualified for high-altitude and extreme thermal environments. By replacing conventional manufacturing, CNES has reduced the production time for certain parts from several weeks to a single day.
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Featured image shows Vertical satellite. Image via SWISSto12.
